Steam-engine valve.



No. 701,626. I Patented 1m 3,1902.

E. L. SAUER.

STEAM ENGINE VALVE.

(Application flled -Tuly 26, 1901.]

(No Model.)

THE Norms PETERS 00.. normklmo, mswuovun, n. c.

UNITED STATES,

7 PATENT j O ICE EMIL L. SAUER, or CHICAGO,- iLLINOIs- STEAM-E GINE VALVE.

SPECIFICATION formingm of Letters Patent 1%.7013626, datedJun'e 3, 19oz.

. I Application filed July 26, 1901. Serial No. 69,762. (No model.)

To all whom/it may concern: I Be it known that I, EMIL L. SAU-ER, a cilizen of the United States, residing at Chicago,

in the county of'Gook and State of Illinois,.

have-invented certain new and useful Improvements 1n Steam-Engine Valves; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,- clear, and exact description of the invention,

such as will enable others skilled in t'he art to which it appertains tomake and use the same. This invention relatesto improvements in the class of steam-engine valves set forth in Letters Patent Nos. 529,841 and 597,436, issued to me November 27, 1894, and January 18, 1898, respectively.

Practical working has demonstrated that an engine, and more especially'a locomotive-engine, equipped with this-improved valve can be run at a very high rate of speed with economical advantages'and ease in handling the cut-off and reverse lever. Practical use has also demonstrated thatthe piston-valves, auxiliary in the main valve, must be positively cushioned to prevent their having an endwise striking or hammering contact with adjacent surfaces of the main valve,'and thereby be upset and injured against a free working movement.

The object thereof of this invention orimprovement is not to make a radical departure from the essential features set forth in the patents herein referred to, but to make certain changes as will aiford increased dura-. bility, prevent the liability of damage to and leakage of the auxiliary piston-valves in their reciprocating endwise movement, and thereby more positively prevent compression and back pressure on the engine-piston. The single view in the drawing is a vertical longitudinal section of a steam chest and cylinder, only the upper half of the cylinder with a part of the piston being shown.

Referring to the drawing, 1 represents the ordinary slide-valve; 2, the valve-yoke; 3, the valve-rod 4, the steam-chest; 5, theenginecylinder, and 6 the piston. The respective side walls of the slide or main valve are provided with a number of apertures? in accordance with the number of piston-valves to be used in the main valve. These apertures open through the side Walls into the exhaustchamber 8 and are opposite to and in line in place.

each of these apertures and rigidly'secured The outer open ends of the-bushings are closed by a solid cap-plate 10, remov= ably seated in the exterior walls of the main valve and form a steam-tight joint, so that thereis no leakageexteri'orly from the bushings. The Valve-yoke also assists in retaining the cap-plates in place, 'asdoes the livesteam pressure.

I The'auxiliary piston-valves 11 have their with each other. A bushing 9 is inserted in respective head endsloosely inserted in the bushings and are connected by an integral stem 12,extending across the exhaust-chamber of themain valve. The 'openings'in which the bushings are seated extend into the exhaust-cavity, as shown, and provides for a free reciprocating movement of the pistonvalves. Each piston-valve is provided with ashoulder13,?whichis of a greater diameter than thereduce'd piston ends and fills the passage opening into ,the exhaust-chamber. The ends of thepis ton-valves are cut away from the edge'inwardfor about one-half of theirdiameter and'providean annular space 14 forthe workingpressure to enterin forcing the valve over to the opposite position from thats'h'own." The bushings are provided withan annulargroove'ldand orifices 16, opening into the space 14, for the entrance and escape of the steam in the operation of reciprocating the piston-valves and cushioning thev movementpf the same inpreventing any concussion or jar, thus avoiding any injury. to these parts and insure a positive working movement of the piston-valves. Asemiannular'recess lZ-is formed in the walls of the.

main valveion each side of the exhaust-chamber and intowhich open auxiliary e xhaust passages 18, as indicated by dotted lines, which startjin from theunde'r side of the mainvalve.

the end of the piston-valve comes in contact with the inner side of the closing cap-plate led 10, closing the outer ends of the bushings. The contact of the piston ends is very light by reason of the annular cushioning-space 19 between the shoulder 13 of the piston valves and the inner ends of the bushings, which feature, taken in connection with the cushion-space 14,provides a noiseless working piston-valve and positively prevents the same from striking or hammering at either end.

The piston is moving in the direction indicated by the arrow. The main valve traveling in the opposite direction and is just closing the steam-port on that side, the port on the exhaust side being partially open, but the auxiliary exhaust-passage is still wide open and will remain open until the back or outer line passes over the surface of the valve-seat, and thus affording an auxiliary exhaust-relief after the main valve has closed. on the exhaust side and relieving the enginepiston of any undue pressure or compression. When the auxiliary port closes, the pressure is relaxed on the inner side of the pistonvalve, and the pressure on the outer side or end is then in access and operates to move the piston-valve over to its opposite position, which operation is continuous in imparting the required reciprocation movement.

It will be understood that any number of the piston-valves may be used in accordance with the dimensions and capacity of the main valve.

The screw-holes 21 in the respective ends of the piston-valves provide for the reception of a screw-rod as a matter of convenience in facilitating the insertion and removal of these parts.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A steam-engine valve, provided in its opposite side walls with openings into the exhaust-chamber, the bushings, inserted in said openings but stopping short of the exhaustchambcr, means for closing the outer ends of the bushings, the auxiliary piston-valves, provided with reduced ends, and a cushioning-shoulder and having the respective ends loosely inserted in said bushings, and the cushion-spaces between the adjacent surface of the piston-valves and bushings, substantially as described.

2. The combination with the main valve, provided with openings in the side walls opposite each other, of the bushings rigidly inserted therein, and open to the exhaust-chambers but tightly closed at their outer ends, the piston-valves adapted to have a recipro eating movement in said bushings and provided with a cushioning shoulder and space adjacent to the inner ends of the bushings, substantially as described.

3. The combination with the main valve having openings therethrough into the exhaust-chamber, of the bushings, inserted in said openings, the cap-plates closing the outer ends of the bushings, the piston-valves having their respective ends mounted in the inner open ends of the bushings and having a reciprocating movement across the line of the exhaust-chamber, and means for imparting such movement, substantially as described.

4. The combination with a steam-engine valve having apertures on opposite sides opening into the exhaust-chamber, bushings, open at both ends and sea-tedin said apertures, the steam-tight cap-plates closing the outer ends of said bushings, piston-valves, connected by a common stem and seated in said bushings, the annular space around said bushings, and the orifices leading therefrom in the space between the ends of the piston-valves, and the adjacent surface, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EMIL L. SAUER.

Witnesses:

J. B. DONALSON, L. B. COUPLAND. 

